where to get OS for MacBook G4

[Mr Downtown]

Trying to help a friend whose 2003 Aluminum MacBook G4 (Model A1010) won't boot. She got it as a gift and has no CDs or restore disks. So once we determine whether the hard drive still works, or install a new one, where do we get an OS and how do we install it? Isn't there an OS that's now free (Tiger or Leopard) that will work on this?

[clay]

Apple may be able to send you a copy of the original discs (may charge $20 or may just give it to you free).

[decay]

Ubuntu linux is free, but I would not recommend it on a PowerPC Mac.

[GGD]

clay wrote:
Apple may be able to send you a copy of the original discs (may charge $20 or may just give it to you free).

I was thinking that too, but if it's really from 2003, it will probably be 10.3. Not sure how useful that will be in the long run.

[DP]

My PB G4, which is still running just fine, has 10.4.11 loaded. I had 10.5 on it but it was slower than Tiger, probably due to having only 1 GB of RAM, so I went back to 10.4.

[decay]

FWIW this would be a Powerbook G4, not a Macbook.

[Black]

I might still have a full install disc for Tiger-- shoot me an e-mail if you want me to check. Will definitely never need it again.

[Mr Downtown]

You're right, it's a PowerBook G4.

I think I still have a Tiger disk, too. Will that work? Or does it need to have a model-specific OS installed on the HD first before you can upgrade to Tiger?

[Black]

Mr Downtown wrote:
You're right, it's a PowerBook G4.

I think I still have a Tiger disk, too. Will that work? Or does it need to have a model-specific OS installed on the HD first before you can upgrade to Tiger?

If it's a full install disk (not an upgrade disk) it will be all you need.